By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
A MAN who was 20 when in 2024 he was charged with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse involving a teenage girl has had his police admission to one of the alleged incidents ruled admissible at trial, despite denying the other.
Ramon Johnson is accused of having unlawful sexual intercourse with the girl on two occasions in South Andros: in October 2023, when she was 14, and on January 3, 2024, when she was 15.
During a police interview, Johnson admitted having sexual intercourse with the girl in October 2023 but denied having sex with her on January 3, 2024 - the incident that prompted the investigation.
A judge has ruled that his entire police interview can be presented as evidence at trial, rejecting the defence's argument that the statement was improperly obtained and could unfairly prejudice his case.
The investigation began on January 3, 2024, when the girl's mother reported to police that her daughter had told her she had engaged in sexual intercourse with Johnson earlier that day.
In a statement to police, the girl said she contacted a friend she knew as “Mon” through Facebook and asked him to collect her from a friend's house in the Bluff, South Andros.
She alleged that Johnson picked her up in a silver car at about 6pm and drove her to Ralph Beach, behind her father's home, where they had sexual intercourse. He then returned her to her friend's house, from where she walked home alone.
During a police interview the following day, Johnson denied having any sexual activity with the girl on January 3.
However, when questioned about whether he had ever met her alone, he acknowledged that they had been together in October 2023 and had sexual intercourse.
According to the record of interview, Johnson told police: “We was talking for a bit and then we had sexual relations”.
He also acknowledged engaging in oral sex and other sexual activity with the girl but denied forcing himself on her.
Johnson said they had been friends for about one year and they communicated through Facebook and other messaging platforms.
Johnson was arrested on January 12, 2024, in the Johnson Bay area of South Andros and charged with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse under Section 11(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Act.
The first charge relates to the alleged January 3 incident, while the second concerns the alleged October 2023 incident.
The defence subsequently sought to have his January 4 interview excluded from evidence, arguing that the officer had described the allegation as “unlawful sexual assault” rather than unlawful sexual intercourse when cautioning him.
It maintained that the distinction invalidated the caution and rendered the interview inadmissible. The defence also argued that Johnson's admission concerning October was irrelevant to the January allegation and could lead the jury to unfairly conclude that he was guilty of both offences.
However, the judge rejected those arguments, finding that police were not required to use specific legal terminology when cautioning a suspect, provided they gave sufficient information for him to understand the allegation.
The court noted that Johnson had been told the date of the alleged incident, the identity of the girl and the nature of the misconduct being investigated.
He was also informed that he was not obliged to answer questions and that anything he said could be recorded and used as evidence.
Johnson was offered the opportunity to have a lawyer present but declined.
The judge found no evidence that he had been threatened, coerced or improperly pressured into making the statement, concluding that the caution was legally sufficient and the interview had been properly conducted.
The court found that the interview provided important details about their relationship, communications and meetings, including Johnson's admission concerning October and his denial concerning January. The judge said there was no evidence challenging the reliability of the statement and concluded that its evidential value significantly outweighed any potential prejudice.
The Director of Public Prosecutions' application was granted, allowing the January 4, 2024 record of interview to be admitted as evidence at trial.
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